Harvesting machine



C. E. WHITE HARVESTING MACHINE April 14 Filed Oct. 14. 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. E. WHITE lmavzsmme momma April 14, 1925.

Filed Oct. 14,. 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 14, 1925. 1,533,359

C. E. WHITE HARVESTINGMACHINB Filed Oct. 14. 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

K A J 34 J8 19 ITnfez iiB? @w/ C. E. WHITE HARVESTING April 14, 1925.

MACHINE Filed Oct. 14. 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 1 1-, 1925.

ll l

Application (Butcher 14:,

L To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

pelled machine for harvesting grain in which the harvesting); mechanism is arranged in advance of the propellin mecha nisin and of the steering means so that the machine as a Whole ma he easily guided and control. ed; also to provide sue? chine 1n which the StEQX'llif}: mar he EL illit- )lished either h no rer. bv hand or hr hoth means used together; al o to provide for driving; the harvesting mechanism hy power derived from the motor which (.rivcs the propelling Wheels. In .addition to the ahovementioned objects my invention contains certain other improved features which will be hereinafter specifically pointed out. I accon'iplish these objects illustrated in the drawings and as hereinafter descrioed. What I regard as new Will he set l the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine showing such parts of the harvestin mechanism as are necssani to a full unoerstandingr of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the n'iaehine. the traction wheels and some of the parts mounted on the rear portion of the machine frame being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a plan. riew of the parts in Fig l;

Fig. 42 is an enlzrged detail hcinc partial horizontal section on line -l'-i-. oit Fig. 1;

F 5 is a plan View of the steam engine cylinders and their connections; the upper memher'ot the housing hei removed:

Fig. is a side elevation of the parts shown in 5, the housing being hrclceu away;

Fig. T is a vertical section on line 7? of Fig. 6

7 and 9 are detailed plan Views showing the gear shifting mechanism through l ti E.

Serial No. 258,007.

which connection is made between the enpine and the power shaft from which the ha 1-.-'eslin;1 mechanism is driven; and

Fig. 10 inn detail. partly in scction,sho\vinc the clutch mechanism interposed hetu'ccn the power shaft and the harvesting mechanism.

Referring to the drau'ing's,--1O indicates the main :i rau'ic oi the machine which is mounted at the rear on t'action wheels 11 and at the front on dirigihle wheels 1'2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The traction Whe ls 11 are mounted on spindles 13 secured to the main "li'rz me 10 in an suitable crap. and are provided with gears 1% which mesh with piuions 15 carried by transversely disposed jack-shafts 16-1T, a shoiri in 7. These jack-shafts are connected at their inner ends with differed tial greuiuo 18 which comprises a main dririn gear l9 through which the jacksha". are rotstml from the engine hereina'l'ter descrihed. The differential gearing is not described in detail as it may be oil? any suitahle type and in itself forms no part of my present ini'cntion. shown in Fig. 7 the inner ends of the jack-shafts 16-17 are nountcd in suitable hearings QtL-Ql in a housing u'hich encloses the differential mechanism and also certain parts of the eu- ;rine. This lu'iusing with its contents is mounted on the rear portion of the machine frame 10. as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, being located at one side, pre'le'ahl the letthand side, of the machine.

The ma: hine illustrated shown as being equipped with a two cylinder douhle acting steam canine, and as the parts or the two e1 gine members are duplicates they will he indicated hr the same reference numerals but distii'i 'uishcd by the use of the exponent a. l lxcept as otherwise indicated. thercfore, it will he understood that the followinn description of one of the engine elements applies to both. .33 23 indicate the two engine cylinders which are best shown in Fig. Said cylinders are in the .alne horiscoutal. plane and are located immediately in the rear of the housing 22, as shown in said figure, and are connected together by a casino which encloses the usual steam chest and exhaust chamber. indicites a cmnlnon exhaust pipe which preterahly lea!v s to a condenser, not shown. T his condenser connects with a boiler 26, shown in Fig. 1, which is located at the rear of mechanism, as will hereinafter appear.

the main frame andis suitably connected with. the steam chest. The water in the boiler may be heated in any suitable way, as by kerosene burners.

27 indicates atransverse power shaft which is mounted in suitable bearings 28 provided at the front of the housing 22, as shown in Fig. 5, the ends of said shaft projecting beyond the sides of the main frame 10, as shown in Fig. 3. 29 indicates a spur gear mounted upon and keyed to the shaft 27 near the center thereof, as shown in Fig. 5. 30--30 indicate cross-heads loosely mounted on the shaft 27 at opposite sides of the gear 29. 3l39 indicate upper and lower paral lel rods which are connected at their rear ends with the cylinder 28 and at their front ends are adjustably connected with the cross- ,head 30- by means of nuts 333t screwed 'lar pair of rods is provided at the other,

side of the engine, said rods being indicated by corresponding numbers with the exponent a as hereinbefore explained. These rods serve to support certain parts of the engine indicates a double crank shaft which is mounted in suitable bearings provided in cross-heads 8636 mounted on the pairs of rods "3l32 and 31 82 respectively, said cross-heads beng adjustable longitudinally of said rods by means of nuts 3738, 3738' shown in said figures. Thus the position of the crank shaft can be adjusted with reference to the transverse shaft 27. 39 indicates a spur gear mounted centrally on the crankshaft and meshing with the gear 29, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, so that by rotating said crank-shaft the power shaft 27 is rotated.

40 indicates the piston rod of the cylinder 23, said piston rod being connected with a slide-block ll which slides in ways 4E2-4t8 supported, respectively, by the rods 3l-32, as shown in Fig. 6. 4A indicates a pitma-n, the forward end of which is connected with one of thecranks of the crank-shaft 35, its rear end being forked to embrace the slideblock ll and being connected therewith by a pivot 46.- .Thus the reciprocation of the piston 40- rotates the crank-shaft 35. Said crank-shaft is preferably provided with a counterbalance weight 47 opposite the crank 45, as shown in said figure.

4-8-49 indicate eccentrics mounted on the crank-shaft 35 at one side of the gear 89, as shown in Fig. 5, and connected by eccentric rods 50-5l with a link 52 in the usual way.

cut-0E may be regulated. 54 indicates a rock-shaft having an arm 54* which is connected by links 5555 with the links 52-15% of the two engine members so that by rocking said rock-shaft the position of the links may be adjusted for the purpose stated. This rock-shaft is mounted in suitable bearings in a transverse bar .56 which connects the guideways t242 at the opposite sides of the engine, as shown in Fig. 5.

catcs a similar transverse bar which conn cts the forward portions of saidguideways and serves to support and brace the same.

58 indicates a double width pinion which is mounted on a countershaft 59 disposed under the crank-shaft 35, as shown in 6. Said pinion meshes with the gear 19 and is movable longitudinally upon the shaft into and out of mesh with the gear 39, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 8 and 9. Thus by moving the pinion 58 upon its shaft the differential gear 19 may be connected with ordisconnected from the gear89 on the crank-shaft to connect the engine with ordisconnect it from the traction wheels. To provide for shifting the pinion 58 upon its shaft it is provided with a collar 60 having a peripheral groove 61 in which fits a fork 62 carried by a sleeve 63 which is mounted to slide upon a transverse shaft 64, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Said sleeve is provided at one side with teeth 65 which mesh with the teeth of a segmental rack to carried by an upright rod 67 upon the upper end of which is a crank ($8, as shown inllig. (5. It is evident that by operating the crank (58 the pinion 58 may be moved transversely of the machine into or out of mesh with the.

39 for the purpose described. The crank 68 is conveniently located with reference to the drivers seat 69, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the operator may easily connect the engine with the traction wheels or dis connect them therefrom when he desires to do so.

The front wheels 12 are mounted on spindles 70 provided withvertical pivots 71 journaled at the opposite ends of an arched front axle 72 so that the wheels may swing laterally to guide the machine. Said wheels are connected together, so that they turn in unis-on, by a cross-rod 7 3, and are connected to the steering mechanism hereinafter described. by a rod. 74; Said wheels are arranged to be steered either by power actuated mechanism operated by thesteaiu engine, or by a hand operated steering wheel 75, carried by a steering rod 76, or by both operating together. The mechanism I prefer to employ for this purpose is fully shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,4i6,605, granted to me February 27, 19:23, and is not illustrated and described in detail in this application as it is not included in the invent-ion herein claimed. In conformity with the disclosure of that patent, the wheels are steered'by the rotation in 57 indione direction or the other of a shaft 7'? T which is actuated to swing; the lever 80 back and forthto reciprocate the connecting- 81 at the proper times by means of suite connections from a shaft 83 which is driven by means of a worm gear 84: mounted said shaft and meshing with a worm 85 on the transverse shaft- 27. as shown in Fig.1. 4. The lever 80 may be actuated to steer the front wheels either for a ninety degree or for a reverse turn, these operations be ing controlled by the operation of one or the other of levers 8687 shown in Fig. 3.

Also the shaft 77 is arranged to be actuated e; her to turn the machine alternately in opposite directions so that the machine will turn alternately to the right and to the left at opposite ends of the field, or it may be operated to turn always in the same direction so that the machine may be made to travel around the field. The steering .rod 76 is connected with the shaft 77 by ditfereutial mechanism of any suitable construction. preferably that shown and (lcscril eiil in my saidLetters Patent. so that the hand steering apparatus may be used either to supplement the power operated steerin devices or may be used independently thereof as desired. Any suitable mechanism niav be employed for actuating the shaft {62 from the shaft. 8-3, or for appropriately rotating the shaft 77 from the crank shaft T8. and my present invention not c-:mcerned with the specific constructitm of such devices they are not shown in detail. An example of mechanism that may well be employed for such purposes is, however;

found in my said patent.

indicates a harvester frame which is disposed transversely of the machine in advance ofthe front wheels 12 and is supported from the main frame 10 by brackets 89 which depend from a bar 90 which er-ztends transversely of said main frame at the front end thereof, as shown in. li ies. 1 and i2. lhe harvester frame 88 is provided with upwardly projecting arms 91 which are connected to the brackets 89 by pivots frame may swing vertically about said pivshown in Fig. 1, so that the harvester ots.

The harvester frame is supported at the front by a; cast-er wheel 98 having an upwardly projecting stem 94 on which is fitted a sleeve 95 secured to a bracket 96 which projects forwardly from the harvester frame 88 near one end thereof, as

shown in Fig. 1. The sleeve 95 is adapted to slide lengthwise of the stem 9st and is adjustably held at different points on said stem by a forked lever 9T pivoted to said sleeve, as shown at 08, and connected near one end by links 99 with a disc 10b adapted to bear upon a flat head 101 at the lower end of the stem 9 1. Thus by re no the lever 97 the sleeve 95 may be r: scd and lowered. The lever 97 is connected by a comiectingrod 102 with an adjusting lever 103 mounted on the frame 10 near the driver's seat, as shown in Fig. l. Elaid lever is pivoted at 101 and is provided with a latch 105 and a segmental rack 106 for locking it in its different positions of adjustment.

The .lmrvoittine mechanism comprises the usual. sickle bar 1-1'7, platform 108, belt 10!) and elevating belts 110-ll1 arranged So that the grain cut by the sickle bar falls on the belt 109 and is carried up between the belts 11()-111. The caster wheel 93 is located at one side of the sickle bar so that it does not run on the uncut grain. The sickle bar 10? operated from the trans verse power shaft 527 by the following connections :-112 indicates a shaft mounted on the harvester frame, shown in Fig. 3

said shaft being provided with a crank disc 113 having a wrist pin 11%- connected by a pitman 115 with the sickle bar in the usual vay. The shaft 112 also carries a bevel gear 116 with which meshes a bevel pinion 11? carried by a shaft 118 which also carrie" a bevel ,o carlltl. The latter bevel gear meshes with a bevel gear 120 secured upon the forward member 121 of a twopart shaft, the members of which are connected by a telescoping joint. as best shown in Fig. 10. The rear member 1522 of said shaft is con nected by a universal joint 123 with a shaft 1% mounted adjacent to, and perpendicularly to. the axis of the power-shaft as shown in Figs. 1 and ill. and said shaft. 124-. is provided with a sliding clutch member 125 mounted on a feather thereon so that it rotates with said shaft. Loosely mounted on the rear end of the shaft 12%: is a beveled gear 126, the hub of which carries a clutch member 127 which is adapted to mesh with. the clutch member 125. (See Fig. 10.) The beveled c iuir 1: 36 meshes with a beveled pinion 128 mounted on and rotating with the power-shaft Thus when the clutch members 125l.27 are engaged the power-shaft drives the shaft members 121-122, thereby rotating the shaft 112 and operating the sickle bar. The several belts 109110-111 are also driven from the shaft 112, for which purpose said. shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel 129 which operates a link belt 130 and through it drives a sprocket wheel 131 mounted on a shaft 132, as shown in Fig. 2. The latter shaft carries a roller 133 which drives the belt 109. Intermediate gears which need not be specifically described connect the iii) shaft 132 with the shafts which carry the belts 110-111, as indicated in Fig. 2. Thus the power shaft 27 operates the conveyor mechanism of the harvesting mechanism as well as the sickle bar through the clutch members 125127 and their connections. The operating parts of the harvesting mechanism may be disconnected from the power shaft by moving the clutch member 125 out of engagement with the clutch member 127, for which purpose I provide a lever 13a and a rocking yoke 135 of the usual type, connected by a link 136 with said lever, as shown in Fig. 10. By this construction the power shaft 27 may be driven independently of the harvesting mechanism when desired.

By placing the harvesting mechanism in advance of the tractor element as described the propelling power is applied substantially centrally back of the harvesting mechanism and the operator is given a clear view of the field ahead of the machine. Also the machine may be more easily and quickly steered in either direction. Ordinarily the hand steering wheel is used in tranversing the field, the power operated steering mech anism being employed to make the turns at the ends of thefie'ld. The height of the cut may be readily adjusted by operating the lever 103, thereby raising or lowering the sickle bar, this adjustment being permitted by reason of the pivotal mounting of the harvester frame and the telescopic construction of the shaft 121.

While I have shown and described my improved harvesting machine as comprising a steam operated propelling element with steering wheels'at the front thereof, 1 wish it to be understood "that my invention, generically considered, is not limited to the: use of steam as the motive power, to the use of a tractor element having steering means located forward of the propelling means, except as otherwise specifically claimed but includes a propelling and steering element of any other description suitable for the purpose. after made are therefore to be construed accordingly.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A harvesting machine comprising a tractor frame having propelling means atthe rear and di-rigible wheels at the front, a transversely disposed power shaft on said frame, a transverse bar secured to the frontof said frame, a harvester frame disposed transversely in front of said tractor frame and having upwardly extending arms pivot ally connected with said bar, a sickle bar at the front of said harvester frame, a longior in all cases otally The claims hereintudinally extending shaft operatively connected with said sickle bar and with said power shaft, for driving said sickle bar from said power shaft, a-caster wheel disposed in front of the harvester frame at one side of said sickle bar, said harvester frame being adjustably supported by said caster wheel, and means operable from the tractor frame for vertically adjusting the harvester frame relatively to said caster wheel.

tractor frame having propelling means at the rear and dirigible wheels at the front,

a transversely disposed power shaft on said frame, a harvester frame disposed transversely in front of said tractor frame and having upwardly extendingarms pivotally connected with said tractor frame, a sickle bar at the front of said harvester frame, a substantially horizontal belt carried by said harvester frame back of said sickle bar and movable transversely of the machine, elevating mechanism associated with the inner end portion of said belt, a longitudinally extending extensible shaft operatively connected with said power shaft, connections for driving said sickle bar and said belt from said longitudinally extending shaft, a caster wheel adjacent the inner end of said belt and adjustably supporting the harvester frame, and means operable from the tractor frame for vertically adjusting said harvester frame relatively to said caster wheel to vary the height of the sickle bar from the ground. 3. A harvesting machine comprising a tractor frame having propelling means at the rear and dirigible wheels at the front, a. transversely disposed power shaft. on said frame, a harvester frame disposed transversely in front of said tractor frame and having upwardly extending arms pivconnected with said tractor frame, a sickle bar at the front of said harvester frame, a substantially horizontal belt car ried by said harvester frame back of said sickle bar and movable transversely of the machine, elevating mechanism associated with the inner end portion of said belt, a longitudinally extending connected with said power shaft, connections for driving said sickle bar and said belt from said longitudinally extending shaft, a caster wheel disposed in front of the harvester frame at one side of said sickle bar, said harvester frame being adjustably supported by said caster wheel, and means operable from the tractor frame for vertically adjusting the harvester frame relatively to said caster wheel.

CHARLES E. WHITE A harvesting machine comprising a shaft operatively 

